Truckee, CA.

[Scott V]

Eating lunch and dreaming right now- thanks for the distraction.

What size are the skwalas?

He states a size 8 in the post just below the picture. Took me a while to find it myself. After the picture I went into dream land.

[bigfly]

They are a tad smaller it seems than Yuba bugs...Alpine elevation edition.
Sz8, or sz6 if you can't find smaller. Personally, store bought flies need to be trimmed flat of hackle on bottom.
Float'em, if you need to, drown them if you see/hear no rises. Remember, if they floated any lower in the water, they would be underwater....
Thanks guys......No editing involved, just stream of consciousness.
Now is the time to schedule your spring trips.
The critters are saying they don't think more winter is coming.......
Twice in "recorded" history have we rallied in March, so the odds are low......
Close to fifty years watching the weather in the Sierra, this is the worst I've seen.
But nowhere is it written we get what we want in life.
I'm not a half-full/half-empty glass guy. I drink what's there.
So.....fish now.

Jim

[Ralph]

Hi Jim-
The stonefly in the picture is a member of the Nemouridae, and is not a Skwala. Nemourids have very small "tails" that hide under the wing and a distinctive "X" pattern in the wing venation as seen at the widest spot on the right side of the wing in the photo. Skwala have a very dissimilar wing venation and their "tails" are about as long as the antennae and extend well beyond the end of the wings. Both Skwala and Nemourids are hatching in the region right now. The trout know the difference between the two bugs because the Skwala is around a #8 and a big Nemourid would be #14.
Best,
R

[bigfly]

Thanks Ralph, my buddy shot that picture...
I shouldn't have called it without one in hand, good eye.
Thought it was a tad early...but was closer to sz 8, and I wondered about the tail...the venation is beyond me mostly..till now.
Nor does it have the orange-ish spot behind head. Which should have been enough hint...
I skew large...tying these for holding power a sz up and heavy wire. So it's recipe sz for me, not actual...
I tie a sz 6 for the Skwallas..seen enough dry fly hooks straightened...
This year I'll catch both to compare for tying.
Do the Nemouridae have same MO of walking out onto the water surface tension...?
I'm not "THE" bug guy, the learning cont.....
Thanks again.

Jim

[Bob G]

Jim and Ralph -

Thank you so very much for this discussion...great stuff!

Bob

[WinterrunRon]

Jim and Ralph -

Thank you so very much for this discussion...great stuff!

Bob

Ditto from me. Don't fish it often, bugs aren't my thing, but enjoy your passion.

[Ralph]

Do the Nemouridae have same MO of walking out onto the water surface tension...?

Jim

I don't know Jim. I've only seen them them oviposit in the splash zone and do touch and goes like Little Yellow Stones. That doesn't mean they might not have more tricks up their sleeves.

[steveg137]

Jim Ralph love your posts, don't be shy. Keeping them coming. My bad knee is keeping off banks right now, itching for a fish.

[Ralph]

I derive a lot of pleasure from understanding what makes a river "work". But while I'm describing the life histories of all the critters around us, I have no doubt Jim would be fishing circles around me. There is no substitute for being on the water all day, every day. Back when I was a guide, there was a certainty that I could pull out a given fish from a given spot at any given time. Today, I'm happy to catch a few fish, but no longer is anything a given. The torch has been passed without any regrets in the world.

[NVTrout]

Appreciate the Truckee stuff guys. I'm a bit of a Truckee addict myself. There's just something about her. She doesn't give it up easy, but when she does........yea, its good. I've been doing my snow dance.

Jim I'd love to walk the river with you some day. I dig your approach, and enjoy your reports. You have a lot of Truckee knowledge that can only be gained by spending time on the water.

I'd been fishing the NV side weekly, up until the river came up. bwo's hatching, and good size, like 16ish. Plenty of midges. Some risers now and again. Nymphing and streamers were producing some good fish. There doesn't seem to be the same number of fish. Im sure we had some not make it.

I've got a green light from the wife on Monday. I'm thinking about hittin the Cali side. Maybe I'll see you on the river.